The township has introduced a program that will identify people to work with children who have had difficult childhood experiences.
Cinnaminson Cares was developed earlier this year by Kim Mauroff, coordinator of the township’s Municipal Alliance, the first of its kind in partnership with the state’s Department of Children and Families, Office of Resilience.
“[The program] is based upon the concept of Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs),” Township Administrator Eric Schubiger said.
ACEs are childhood events that can include living in a household with violence, neglect, substance abuse, food insecurity, divorce, abandonment and untreated mental illness, among other issues, according to the Office of Resilience.
Those who experience ACEs are much more likely to deal with a host of problems later on in life, the likes of which include depression, chronic health conditions and anxiety disorders.
“Under the guidance of the Office of Resilience, the goal of the program in Cinnaminson is to identify a core group of local leaders who will undergo ACE training and ultimately work on developing resources, programs and services for children and families throughout our community,” Schubiger explained.
Mauroff led a community forum on Dec. 8 attended by nearly two dozen municipal leaders, including from Cinnaminson, to introduce the program and highlight goals and actions for implementation.Interested community members were also in attendance.
“This is a program founded in Cinnaminson’s commitment to compassion for our community,” Schubiger said. “Mayor (Stephanie) Kravil and township committee members are very proud to support this extremely important initiative and appreciative of Kim Mauroff’s commitment to creating unique opportunities which continually provide assistance to our residents in a variety of ways.”
Based on current progress, the program will slowly roll out over the remainder of 2022 and take full effect in 2023. For more information, visit the Office of Resilience website.
